EIT Jumpstarter 2021

One of Europe’s best programme for early-stage start-ups is back for its 2021 edition.

Application deadline: 30 April 2021

Apply for the EIT Jumpstarter 2021, one of the most well-known European pre-accelerator programmes.

EIT Jumpstarter is the flagship, cross-industrial pre-acceleration programme of the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT). With the contribution of best-in-class experts, creative community, unique know-how our aim is to support idea-holders to turn their ideas into business. EIT Jumpstarter helps innovators and entrepreneurs build a viable business model around their innovative product or service idea, validate it and if their business idea is proven to be sustainable, the EIT Jumpstarter team encourages them to register their company.

Focus on Central-Eastern and Southern European talents

The programme has a special focus on Central-Eastern and Southern European talents who want to validate their business concept, develop a business plan and pitch their ideas to the potential future investors. In the previous editions, over 90 teams from 13 countries were already trained, mentored and supported in expanding impactful ideas into powerful business models.

Six thematic categories

The strategic aim of this programme is to create sustainable impact in the Central-Eastern and Southern-European regions by boosting innovation and entrepreneurship within this part of Europe. Countries in these regions face similar challenges: they have enormous innovation potential, with bright scientific minds, but the research results are likely to remain within the labs. To overcome these challenges and connect the innovative solutions with the articulated demands from the industry and increase the competitiveness of our regions, six EIT Innovation Communities - EIT Health, EIT Food, EIT RawMaterials, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility - teamed up for jointly running EIT Jumpstarter.

New European Bauhaus

As of its 2021 edition, EIT Jumpstarter is accepting applications from the fields that the New European Bauhaus initiative covers.

The New European Bauhaus proposes to focus our conversations on the places we inhabit and on our relationship with natural environments, beyond the built space. It is a practical approach to discover beautiful, sustainable and inclusive ways of living and to use them to inspire our way forward. It is also a design lab, accelerator and network at the same time. A creative and interdisciplinary movement, convening a space of encounter to recuperate and revisit sustainable practices from, empower the most inspiring practices of today, and design future ways of living, at the crossroads between art, culture and science.

Is it for me?

EIT Jumpstarter is open to students, PhDs, researchers or entrepreneurs. Participants will learn how to get started on building a business in a unique cross-industry environment: how to create a team, business processes, and organisational design. The primary focus is put on quantitative business model building. Through the EIT Jumpstarter programme, trainers and coaches will guide you to find the best fitting business model for your idea, and help you validate it. At the end of the programme, graduates will prepare their pitch deck, business model canvas, competitive landscape, go-to-market strategy and a roadmap.

Through the programme, you will receive support from the best-in-class trainers and mentors and have a chance to win up to EUR 10 000.

Important dates

• Deadline for submitting business ideas: 30 April 2021 at 23:59 (CET)
• Selection of ideas and invitation of the bootcamps: 16 May 2021
• Bootcamps will be held online in June 2021
• Local joint trainings: September 2021
• Grand Final: November 2021

Interested?

Applications for the EIT Jumpstarter 2021 is now open, for more information please visit the dedicated webpage or apply at the link below.

Apply today!